Making a wine barrel at C Gillet Cooperage

[Spavich1986]

Does anyone know what type of chisel he is using when he is hammering in the planks?

[KUAN8008]

not sure is the cognac using this too?

[conradpafford]

There might be a need to shrink wrap to forbid any foreign, potentialy lethal contaminates from inhabiting the barrel and bleeding into the wine ... hmmmm ->dunno for sure and that is all I can think of. I am assuming there would be a reason for a company to use them as they wouldnt (financial sense) if it werent necessary (I think lol)

[gravey86]

when a liquid gets poured into the barrel the planks swell against each other causing a tight seal. Think of each plank being a sponge, I hope that helps.

Pretty cool to see how these are made, thanks for posting this.

[WhiskeyThieves]

I still don't get why liquids don't leak/seep from between the planks of wood.

[whycryforher]

@WhiskeyThieves well, the way i know how to make a wood plank barrel. is when me and my dad use to home brew was to make the planks so tight. that a peice of paper can only barley fir through. then we soak them for 68 hours. (so the wood soaks up alot of water) which makes the wood soo compact it makes a great seal!!

[Gubbpipa]

haha, here I am, wanting to know how a barrel is made, and what languish does the guide in the background speak? my own, Swedish:D oo the irony

[T1carus]

but why wrap the barrels in plastic, seems an aweful waste.

[T1carus]

you seem to miss the point, what happens to all the plastic? it ends up in landfill or the atmosphere and for what, barrels dont need to be coated in a freshness sheet.

[T1carus]

clearly again you miss the point and removing your comment was probably for the better, every barrel temporarily wrapped in plastic between being finished and delivery is an enourmous and needless waste, it doesnt do much at all to preserve freshness anyway.